Australian Grand Prix Betting Tips: Leclerc can steal Silver Arrows' thunder
Lando Norris begins the defence of his World Drivers’ Championship crown in Melbourne this weekend, but a fresh new set of regulations promises to shake up the pecking order in 2026.
The Australian Grand Prix was the venue for the first of Norris’ seven Grand Prix wins last year, but the McLaren driver finds himself joint fifth in the betting heading into this season's curtain raiser.
Leclerc can steal Silver Arrows' thunder
Tip 1 – Charles Leclerc to win @ 7/2
While the timing board from pre-season testing should be taken with a pinch of salt, there is no denying that Ferrari’s pace upset the apple cart somewhat, with Charles Leclerc posting the fastest lap by almost a second on the final day of testing.
Many expected the increased power output of the Mercedes engine to make the Silver Arrows the clearly faster package, but that advantage is thought to be less decisive than expected and some innovative features from the Scuderia could give them - and Leclerc - the edge in Melbourne.
Ferrari showcased their neat rotating rear wing in Bahrain, and their smaller turbos - implemented specifically to allow for less spool-up time - allowed for some truly rapid starts in comparison with the competition.
At a track that can prove difficult to overtake on, a fast start from Leclerc could pave his way to victory, and his legendary qualifying pace should see him place highly on the grid around a circuit that has been won from the front row in each of the last five editions.
Flying Dutchman can hit the ground running
Tip 2 – Max Verstappen to finish on the podium @ 4/5
Red Bull are thought to have less outright pace than the likes of Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari, but if anybody can bridge that gap it is four-time World Drivers' Championship winner Max Verstappen.
He proved last year that he can never be ruled out, as he came agonisingly close to overturning a huge championship deficit, which began when he finished second to Norris in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.
The Flying Dutchman has three podium finishes in his last five trips to the Albert Park Circuit, with his two failures during this time the result of mechanical failures when he was running in the top three.
Verstappen finished on the podium in each of the last 10 Grands Prix last term and he will be eager to start 2026 with a positive result.
Audi set for promising start
Tip 3 – Nico Hulkenberg to finish in the points @ 5/2
Audi took over from Sauber to enter the Formula 1 circus this season and their in-house engine was expected to give way to a season or two of struggle.
However, they showed decent pace in pre-season testing and they have a solid chance of opening this new era with a points finish on Sunday.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg posted the 10th and 12th fastest times respectively in the second Bahrain test and their 357 laps completed bode well for reliability, which is not a combination some of the other teams can boast.
Aston Martin are in a terrible position after their switch to Honda and are rumoured to be considering abandoning their race after the formation lap, while Williams are well off the pace after missing the Barcelona shakedown and fresh-meat Cadillac will take some time to get up to pace.
Audi have two strong drivers to call upon and Hulkenberg has an excellent record around Albert Park, finishing in the points on seven of his last eight trips to Australia.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation